Wash. wildfires destroy 2 homes, threaten others

SPOKANE, Wash. 
Wildfires fanned by strong winds burned two homes in northeast Washington and threatened dozens more Thursday, but officials said no injuries were reported.

Multiple fires burned across more than 5.5 square miles in Eastern Washington.

In Stevens County north of Spokane, the Slide Creek fire near Arden claimed two homes, Undersheriff Lavonne Webb and Arden Fire Chief Joe Paccerelli told KREM-TV.

Washington Department of Natural Resources spokesman Brett Walker said the Slide Creek blaze has burned across 900 acres, or 1 1/2 square miles, of timber, brush and grass. A handful of outbuildings were reported burned as well.

Late Thursday night, another DNR spokesman, Albert Kassel, said the Slide Creek fire had burned around most of the 65 homes and outbuildings within its perimeter. Fire crews "have done a lot of good saves," he said.

Winds were diminishing from the 30 mph gusts reported earlier in the day.

Webb and Paccerelli said their fire started Thursday when a power line fell on an outbuilding.

Another northeast Washington wildfire was burning at Fish Hatchery Road, about four miles north of Republic, in Ferry County. Kassel said that fire burned more than 350 acres and threatened 50 homes. But firefighters were making progress, he said.

A fast-moving fire northwest of the Klickitat County town of Lyle had grown to 2,000 acres, or 3 square miles, Kassel said. Some homes were threatened and one outbuilding had burned, he said.

In southeast Washington, Kassel said a fire east of Dayton had burned about 300 acres of grassland.

East of Spokane, KHQ-TV reported another large wildfire burning outside of Davenport. Kassel said the state had sent some fire engines to that fire as well.

The wildfires also led to numerous intermittent road closures in the region.